Doctors were able to stop the internal bleeding of a 42-year-old man, seriously injured in a car crash in British Columbia, by using a safer, simpler technique rather than potentially more difficult and risky exploratory surgery. The technique involved the use of digitized diagnostic imaging, according to a top imaging expert in the province.

"We can now practise interventionist radiology. Its value is often priceless," says Dr. Brad Halkier associate director of medical imaging at Fraser Health's Royal Columbian (RCH) and Eagle Ridge Hospitals. He explains that doctors at B.C.'s RCH needed to know if the man in the car crash was so unstable he had to go into surgery immediately or was stable enough to receive other emergency treatment.

"Through remote access to diagnostic images, even if I am at home I am always available for consultation. With the digital imaging and PACS technology we can now see so many slices or views on a CT image and manipulate them in real time to get an accurate picture," explains Halkier.

Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS) enables authorized health care professionals to collect, store, and distribute digital diagnostic images (x-rays, ultrasounds, MRI and CT scans), no matter the location of the test or clinician.

In the case of the car-crash victim, doctors were guided using PACS to thread a catheter through the man's groin to stop the bleeding so they could deal with the rest of his crash traumas. "Often I can tell instantly from images where a patient is bleeding from, and then I can tell the doctors if I can help fix the patient," says Halkier.

Richard Alvarez, president and CEO of Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) says PACS - funded in partnership with the provinces and territories - could benefit up to 26 million Canadians by March 31, 2009.

"PACS improves productivity for doctors, technologists and radiologists, and increases access to care," says Alvarez. "People get their diagnosis twice as fast, and treatment can start sooner."

An independent report commissioned by Infoway to evaluate the benefits of digital diagnostic imaging and PACS cites faster diagnosis, shorter wait time to treat patients, improved quality of patient management, and shorter hospital stays. For clinicians it cites the reduction in needless duplicate exams and better use of financial and human resources.

Halkier predicts that by combining PACS with a complete electronic health record for all patients in B.C. the health care system will be able to, "fully realize the benefits of this invaluable technology."

"I know this is the future of medicine," says Halkier.

Infoway, an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government, jointly invests with every province and territory to accelerate the development and adoption of electronic health record projects, including PACS. These secure systems provide the information clinicians need to better support safe care decisions and the information patients need to manage their own health.

To learn more about the difference electronic health record investments are making to the health care of Canadians, visit www.infoway-inforoute.ca.

Digital diagnostic imaging benefits: By the numbers

The benefits of digital diagnostic imaging (DI) systems to Canadians and their health care providers are making a difference every single day across the country. Personal stories attest to the human value of the $337 million Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) has invested in 22 Canadian DI and related projects to date. But when you look at the cold hard facts, the picture is even more impressive. By the end of March, 2009, Infoway estimates 79 per cent of Canadians could benefit from these systems.

How? By the numbers, the use of digitized imaging and supporting systems, known as PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications Systems) will:

1. Create up to 30 per cent improvement in radiologists' productivity. That's equivalent to the work of more than 500 radiologists in our health care system.

2. Enable up to 30 per cent improvement in technologists' productivity, which is equal to the work of another 2,900 technologists in our health care system.

3. Allow doctors to save up to 60 minutes a week in decision-making time, which translates to the work of another 500 doctors in our health care system. This time-saving works out to seven million 10-minute physician consults each year.

4. Improve exam report turnaround times by as much as 40 per cent, enabling quicker clinical decisions and more timely treatment.

5. Eliminate as many as 17,000 unnecessary patient transfers between health care facilities. As well, up to one million unnecessary exams are eliminated each year.

6. As many as 40 per cent of radiologists report using PACS to provide services to new or remote sites, improving access in remote geographic areas and populations.

7. Generate up to $1 billion a year in health system efficiencies through increased clinical productivity and reduced patient transfers, duplicate exams and film costs, once PACS is fully in place across the country.

It all adds up to improved access and quality of care for patients and greater productivity for clinicians. To learn more, visit www.infoway-inforoute.ca.

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For more information contact:

Dan Strasbourg
Canada Health Infoway
416.595.3424
dstrasbourg@infoway-inforoute.ca